New “Deep Throat” Deserves Praise, Not Condemnation

The Times is taking the rare step of publishing an anonymous Op-Ed essay. We have done so at the request of the author, a senior official in the Trump administration whose identity is known to us and whose job would be jeopardized by its disclosure. We believe publishing this essay anonymously is the only way to deliver an important perspective to our readers. We invite you to submit a question about the essay or our vetting process here.

The op-ed delivers a scathing report on the dysfunction and incompetence of the Administration and the malignant character of Donald Trump. Incredibly, many commentators have condemned the senior official’s act. Their main line of attack is to declare the writer should go public and take on Trump head-on.

What self-righteous hypocrisy the critics of the op-ed writer are displaying. How noble to sit somewhere gainfully employed and urge someone else to be willing to lose his job and incur mountains of legal fees and months or year of being caught up in lawsuits, so they can gain meet the critics’ definition of nobility.

What would happen if all the dissenters inside the Trump Administration staged an open rebellion and resigned? The critics ignore the near certainty that the spineless GOP Congress would do nothing about it. The Congressional Republicans would rally behind Trump, and he would still be President—but utter chaos would then engulf the highest levels of our government.

Cable news would be swamped with coverage of every detail. The government’s ability to do business would be paralyzed. And the international reputation of the United States would be destroyed for generations.

I hope none are so naive to believe the 25th Amendment, right now, is a solution. Neither Mike Pence nor the Cabinet have the will or the guts to try to oust Trump, no matter what the revelations of a rebellious senior staff. And a “yea” vote by both houses of Congress? Pigs will fly first.

The op-ed writer and his allies have looked brutal reality in the face—and made the only rational choice.

Resisting inside the WH is the only option.

Here is IndieDems suggestion that might cause the leaker’s critics to come down from their self-righteous ivory tower: “pray, sir or madam, what proportion of your salary are you willing to pledge to donate to the legal defense fund of a Trump senior adviser who resigns—or is fired—and tells all?”